Cell phones must be silenced at all times when in class. Failure to do so will result in the cell phone being taken up by the instructor and not returned to the student until the end of the class or clinical day.

Laptop computers may be brought to lecture. The student must sit at the back of the room to keep from distracting other students. TVCC computers may not be utilized during lecture times for completion of homework assignments or playing computer games.

Cell phones may not be in the room during a test. Any cell phones found during a test will result in the phone and test being taken up and the student's test being graded from that point. If it is determined a student is using a cell phone to share information with another student, both students will be subject to the HSC Honesty Policy disciplinary actions.

No technical media (cell phones, cameras, tape recorders, etc) are allowed in the room during test review. Students found with any of these items during test review will be subject to the HSC Honesty Policy disciplinary actions.

TECHNOLOGY – CLINICAL/SKILLS LAB

Personal cell phones must be turned off or kept on vibrate at all times, including post conference. Students must follow the facility’s policy on cell phones which may ban cell phones from the clinical areas altogether.

Taking photographs or recording of conversations is strictly forbidden in all patient areas even if the patient is not identifiable. Students who do so are in violation of HIPAA and are subject to immediate expulsion from the health occupations division program and potential investigation by the Federal Office of Civil Rights.

SOCIAL MEDIA

No information identifying a client, client situation or clinical facility may be posted on any social media website. Social media outlets include but are not limited to: Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Yahoo Finance, etc. Nurses have been fired for discussing patient cases on Facebook even though no names were discussed. Do not give healthcare advice on social media sites. Students should not become a patient’s “friend” on a social media site.

Any violation of this policy must be reported to the team leader, Provost and clinical facility as a possible HIPAA violation. Disciplinary actions will be taken accordingly. Students may be banned from the clinical facility and subject to immediate expulsion from the health occupations division program and potential investigation by the Federal Office of Civil Rights.

Faculty should keep professional boundaries in mind when deciding whether to “friend” students during the program. Students and faculty are encouraged to create/join program “Facebook” fan pages instead.